Dispensing machine for heavy articles



Dec. 8, 1959 P. DELAND DISPENSING MACHINE FOR HEAVY ARTICLES Filed Aug. 26. 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet l 6.9 33 f o 2 70 a1 i 5 47 km I Z as g 67 93 55 I I. I 31- 5 45 33 79 6. liven/0f,

. Paul DeZazzd Dec. 8, 1959 P. DELAND 2,916,186

DISPENSING MACHINE FOR HEAVY ARTICLES Filed Aug; 26, 1957 43 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jbmnfor:

- 40 5 :57 aa-75% PauZDeZaiz MZZY 3 i F/G/5 Dec. 8, 1959 DELAND 7 2,916,186

DISPENSING MACHINE FOR HEAVY ARTICLES Filed Aug 26, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 1 a! fie land 3 M r J %60/065/ DISPENSING MACHINE FOR HEAVY ARTICLES Paul Deland, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Application August 26, 1957, Serial No. 680,049

8 Claims. (Cl. 221- 106) This invention relates to dispensing apparatus and more particularly to a dispensing machine for heavy articles. I

It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine for dispensing cartons of bottled drinks in which a single carton is dispensed during each cycle of operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing machine for dispensing substantially any heavy article in an upright position with a minimum amount of contact with the moving partswhich might otherwise damage or destroy the article.

Still another object of 'the present inventionfis to provide a dispensing device in which the movement of the article from the storage position .to the delivery position is controlled by the machine at all times. j

A further object of the present invention is, to provide a dispensing machine of the above type in whichjthe articles are sequentially delivered, from a plurality of stacks to a delivery station, in which the stacks are also sequentially moved along from a rearmost to a foremost position.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a dispensing machine bearing the above objects in mind which is .of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and efiicient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following the operating parts in one stage of operation;

Figure 4 is a schematic circuit diagram of motor con- .trol means forming a part-of the present invention;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal cross sectional view similar to Figure 3, showing the parts in a normal inoperative position;

United States Patent "ice view taken pensing machine 20 made in accordance with the present.

invention is shown to include a cabinet 21 that defines an inside compartment 23. A horizontal platform 24 supports a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart stacks of articles 25, such as cartons of bottled soft drinks. These stacks of carriers are adapted to be moved from the rear door 26 throughwhich the compartment is filled to a foremost distribution center fromwhere a platform 29 is operative to carry individual articles 25 downwardly to a delivery station 31.

j The article carrying depressible platform 29 is pivotally mounted upon one end of levers 30 that are pivotally mounted upon pins 32 adjacent the mid section thereof.

,The opposite end of levers 30 is provided with a counterweight 46, for purposes hereinafter described.

The parts are normally in the position shown in Figure 5, wherein an article 25 is disposed within the deliverystation 31 behind a front panel assembly 33, access to the article thus being effectively blocked. However, in response to the insertion of coin 34 into the provided slots 35, and inward movement of the handle 36 which has the plunger'37 disposed inwardly thereof, the propelled coin 34 is operative to rotate a latch 39 pivotally carried by a pin 40 out of locking engagement with the front panel 33, so that it may be rotated to the open position 33a shown in Figure'9. Actually, as soon as the latch 39 is rotated out of locking engagement with the panel, the weight of the article 25 is operative to rotate the whole front panel assembly about the pivotal connection 33 automatically, following which the coin 34 will drop through the drop slot 43 into a coin collecting box (not shown). Furthermore, as the door panel 33 is rotated to the open position by the weight of the article .25, links 42 pivotally connected at one end to the back of the front panel assembly 33 rocks a rod 44 about its pivotal connection to move a stop member 45 beneath I the raised counterweight 46 whichprevents the counterweight 46 from dropping after the article 25 is removed from the platform 29.

Now, as the article 25 is removed from the delivery station, a return spring 47 acting upon the stop rod 44 1 and the front panel assembly 33 is operative to return Figure 6 is a longitudinal cross sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a transverse cross sectional view similar to Figure 6, showing related parts in diiferent positions;

Figure 8 is a plan sectional'yiew taken along line 8-8 of Figure 9;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing the parts in operative delivery position;

Figure 10 is a transverse cross sectional view taken along line 10-10 of Figure 3;

Figure 11 is a transverse cross sectional view taken along line 11--11 of Figure 5;

Figure 12 is a rear view, the door being removed;

Figure 13 is a transverse cross sectional view taken along line 13-13 of Figure 5;

the aforementioned parts to the position shown in Figure 3, during which movement the counterweight 46 will drop and thus raise the platform 29 toward the distribution center. i

A pair of laterally spaced apart guide plates 48 are pivotally mounted at their lower ends to the base of the cabinet and have inwardly extending cam surfaces. 50 adjacent to their upper ends. The uppermost extremities of these guide plates are provided with rollers 51 which are adapted to support the remaining articles in the stack being dispensed at the distribution center while the platform 29 is out ofsuch supporting engagement with the stack. A pair of springs 53,normally urge the upper ends of these guide plates together, whereby the stack is supported directly upon the rollers 51. However, as the platform 29 moves towards its raised position, it urges the upperends of the guide plates apart through the action upon the cam surfaces 50 so that the next article to: be dispensed is directly supported thereon. As soon as the weight of the next article is assumed by the platform 29, the weight thereof lowers the platform 29 to the normal position shown in Figure 5 with the article ready in the delivery station for the next customer. It will be noted that the back of the front panel assembly 33 forms lock means to prevent upward movement of platform 29 to its 3 i upper position when assembly is in opened position as shown in Figure 9.

A link 55 extending from the stop rod 44 is operative torock'a chute 57 forming a part of a coin changer 56 to automatically deliver the proper amount of change to the customerthat makes up the difference between the coin required to operate the device and the purchase price of the goods. This link 55 is actuated during the opening movement of the front panel 33 following the release of the latch 39 after the customers coin has been inserted.

i Apparatus is also provided for moving the stacks of articles 25 longitudinally from the rear extremity of the compartment to the distribution station following the discharge of the last article in the previous stack therefrom. A spring 59 biases the contacts 60 of an'electrical switchtoward a closed energized position so as to energize the drive motor 65. However, a plate 61 pivoted at its upper end by means of a pivot 63 is in engagement at its lower end with a bumper 62 which acts against the spring 59 to-retain the switch 64 in an open circuit position. So long as a single article 25 remains at the distribution point, this plate 61 prevents the closing of the switch 60. On the other hand, as soon as the last article in the stack at the distribution station is lowered toward the delivery station, the spring 59 is operative to close the switch 60 to energize the motor 65 which then drives a sheave 66 through a drive belt 67 to draw a cable 68 that is connected to a carriage 69. This carriage is supported upon rails 70 and has a rigid inverted U-shaped brace 72, slidable in slots 60 of platform 24, in engagement with the rear end of the rearmost stack of articles. 'Thus, as the carriage 69 is pulled, the brace 72 urges all of the articles toward the distribution station and as the rearmost stack of articles reaches the distribution station, the switch 60 is automatically moved to the circuit open position, when carriage pushes plunger 64' pivoted to arm 64 to which is joined bias spring 59, thus maintaining the motor 65 deenergized even after the last stack of articles has been dispensed in the aforementioned manner. A plate 73 is disposed intermediate each stack of articles so as to prevent disarrangement thereof, all of which plates 73 are slidably supported upon an overhead rod 75. The latter is suspended at its rear end by hook 76 in order to be removed with plates 73 in placing new articles 25. Shaft 77, on which is wound cable 68, is provided with a ratchet wheel 78 engaged by a pawl 79. When rear door 26 is opened, a cable 81 disengages pawl 79 from ratchet wheel 78.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1, In a dispensing machine, a housing having front and rear'ends, a fixed platform within said housing defining top and bottom compartments within said housing, said platform extending forwardly from said rear end and terminating short of said front end to form at said front end a communication between said top and bottomcompartments, said platform adapted to support a series of stacks of articles, the stacks being in side by side relation, means to move said stacks towards said front end to bring the foremost stack above said communication, a pair of laterally spaced upstanding guide plates pivotally mounted at their lower ends within said housing and disposed in said bottom compartment in line with said communication and having their upper edges at the level of said platform to support the foremost stack against dropping through said communication, a depressible platform mounted for vertical movement between said guide plates and opposite said communication and movable between an upper position at the level of said platform and engageable with the lowermost article of the foremost stack and a lower article delivery position, means on said depressible platform engageable with'said guide plates when said depressible platform takes its upper position to move said guide plates out of supporting engagement with said foremost stack and allow said lowermost article to rest on said depressible platform, counterbalancing means associated with said depressible platform to cause a controlled downward movement of said depressible platform under the weight of said article thereby bringing said article in delivery position and means for bringing said guide plates into supporting engagement with the next superposed article of the foremost stack upon said downward movement of said depressible platform.

2. In a dispensing machine as claimed in claim 1, further including a releasable closure normally preventing access to said article at said delivery position, coin responsive actuating means for releasing said closure and lock means associated with saidclosure responsive to the opening of said closure for preventing upward movement of said depressible platform from said lower to said upper position.

3. In a dispensing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for moving said stack towards said front end of said housing comprises a brace in engagement with the rearmost stack and motor means for effecting movement of said brace towards the front of said compartment.

4. In a dispensing machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein said motor means comprises an electric motor and pulley means for pulling said brace towards said front end of said compartment.

5. In a dispensing machine as claimed in claim 4, further including sensing means for energizing said motor in response to movement of the last article in the foremost stack through said communication between said top and bottom compartments.

6. In a dispensing machine as claimed in claim 5,

wherein said sensing means including an abutment member normally engaged by the lowermost article in the foremost stack.

by said depressible platform to thereby move said guide plates away from each other in the upper position of said depressible platform.

References Cited in the file of this patent I UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,897,072

Parks et a1. Feb. 14, 1933 2, 89,807 Schaevitz et a1. July 14, 1942 2,338,714 Garner Jan. 11, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 507,479 Canada Nov. 23, 1954 

